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Once upon a time somewhere in the Pacific Ocean there lived a sweet yet mistreated fish. Her name was Cinder Guppey. She was such a beautiful fish with her shimmering blue eyes (which were odd yet lovely) and shining scales.  To top everything off, she had two glowing silver scales on either side of her head.  However, she was rather small for a fish of her age.

Cinder Guppey lived in a small cozy home. It was a fun place to live. Well at least it would have been, for you see, Cinder Guppey never had anytime to enjoy any of her house.  She spent her days cleaning every inch of that house because of her two terrible sisters, Swimmy and Swammy.

You might think, “Well her parents will save her,” but sadly they couldn’t. When Cinder Guppey was a very young fish, her mother got caught on a metal hook and was pulled to the surface. Her father remarried soon after. Their marriage and their life, I am sad to say, did not last very long. It was a cold winter night when Cinder Guppey’s dad and stepmother took a swim. They got tangled in a large net and were served as an appetizer at a French restaurant in Florida. Cinder Guppey now lives with Swimmy and Swammy alone.

One sunny spring morning someone blew on the door conch.
“Don’t just stand there, girl, go get it!” screeched Swammy.
“Okay,” said Cinder Guppey while swimming toward the door.
Cinder Guppey swung open the door and saw small piece of seaweed laying on the ground. She picked it up and brought it inside and handed it to Swimmy.
“Well I can’t read, you do it,” yelled Swimmy. “I was not meant for school.”
Cinder Guppey took the piece of green slime from Swimmy.

Dear whomever you may be,
You may have heard of me before. I am the scuba diver who owns the glass dome downtown. Well the reason for this letter is simply because my son is to choose his pet fish. We will hold a ball where he shall play with each fish in the sea and choose one to take home.
Time- 9:30PM-2:00am
Date- June 4
Where- 163 West Kelp St. and Seaweed Ave.
So I hope you will join us!

Cinder Guppey shrieked with delight as she was going to a ball for the first time.
“I can’t believe I’m going to the ball,” she said.
“Well don’t believe it ‘cause you’re not going,” said Swimmy, a grin appearing on her face.
“Think of it this way,” giggled Swammy, “your going like Venice is sinking.”
“But Venice is sinki…,” choked Cinder Guppey.
“Whatever, you’re just not coming,” interrupted Swammy.
With that Swammy and Swimmy swam away. Cinder Guppey began to cry. She held her mother’s necklace in her fin, which was given to her the day after her mother’s death. It wasn’t the most pretty thing - just a brown stone on a chain.  Yet it met meant the world to her.

The day of the ball began to approach. Cinder Guppey was cleaning the house while her sisters did some last minute shopping. All of the shops had some sale going on because it was June 3 (The day before the ball).  Swimmy and Swammy had the excuse of going there for some sort of coral necklace. Cinder Guppey looked down at her neck, and her necklace was gone! Cinder Guppey panicked.  She swam from one end of the house to another. Then suddenly she heard a voice from behind her,
“Sweet child,” the voice sang, “I have finally been granted the chance to speak with you.  You do not know how happy I am.” Cinder Guppey shot around, only to see the dark stone on the tabletop.

Cinder Guppey reached out a quivering fin and tried to grab the stone. All the frightened fish could do was reach out her fin. Then she was struck with an idea.  What if she talked to the necklace?
“He…he…hello,” she managed to say, “And who…who…whom might ya..You be?” she whispered.
“Oh you look sad.  How have those ghastly sisters been treating you?” the stone spoke with kindness in its words. “Well, I hope.”Cinder Guppey tried again.
“Who aa…a…are you?” she said. “And what do you want?”
“Oh dear. I haven’t got the chance to introduce myself.  I am your mother,” She said. “Now down to business.”
“Wait, slow down, you are my mom!? But my mom is a fish not a rock.  Besides, she died years ago. You can’t seriously be my mom.” Cinder Guppey was talking so fast she could hardly understand herself.  “Right?”
At that moment Cinder Guppey heard the shell turning in the oyster (the key turning in the lock).   The sisters were back!
“I must go, but after your sisters leave tomorrow for the ball,” the rock said, “just call me.”
“Ok,” Cinder Guppey said. “Bye.”And with that the rock was gone.

“Gggggguuuuuuuppppppppppppppeeeeeeyyyyyy! Take our shirts to the cleaner. We spilled perfume on ‘em.” Swammy’s voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard. “And wash my green dress. I’m ‘wearin it to the ball tamorrow.”
“And wash my purple skirt ‘an the blue top,” Swimmy boomed. “Oh yeah, ya know those pink jewels? Shine ‘um.”
“Is that all?” Cinder Guppey said. “Because if it is I would lov…”
“Yeah, get me some water,” Swammy grumbled.
“Make it two,” Swimmy grunted.
“Of course,” Cinder Guppey said in a mellow tone
Then Cinder Guppey swam away toward the bathroom.   A second before reaching the bathroom Cinder Guppey could hear the sisters talking about her.
“Oh, Swammy, what are we gonna do about that girl? What if she does go to the ball?” Swimmy said. “I mean if she sneaks out or some other stupid thing.”
“She would never do that,” said Swammy. “Right?”
“Ok.” Swimmy answered.

The next day Swimmy and Swammy were getting ready for the ball and Cinder Guppey was helping.  She may not have liked her sisters, but she was a kind girl and loved to help people.  Cinder Guppey had a fun time helping her sisters out.  She loved to do people’s hair, fit their dresses, and a lot of things like that. Cinder Guppey said goodbye to her sisters as they stepped out of the house and were off. Cinder Guppey didn’t waste a second.  She sped in the house and started speaking.
“Mother, mother, come out!” Cinder Guppey yelled.
Then Cinder Guppey started thinking about why her mother hadn’t come out yet. She tried again.
“Mother, please come out,” Cinder Guppey pleaded
“ I am here,” said the sweet tone of her mother’s voice. “ Do stop yelling.”
“Oh mother, how will I get to the ball? And if I do get there what will I wear?”  Cinder Guppey moaned.
“That’s kid stuff. Just get me a bed sheet,” said the stone.
Cinder Guppey got the sheet and brought it back to her mother.
“Ok put it on,” ordered the necklace.
Cinder Guppey draped the sheet over her shoulders. The stone mumbled something and Cinder Guppey was wearing the most lovely maroon dress with frills at the edge.  It was beautiful.
“Now you should not be too late,” cooed the rock. “It is already 10:20.”
“Oh thank you mother,” cried Cinder Guppey.
Cinder Guppey started heading toward the door.
“Wait,” yelled the stone. “Remember to be back before the clock strikes 1:35 or else.”
“Oh will all of these wonderful things turn to dust?” Cinder Guppey asked, remembering a story her mother used to read to her about a girl named Ella.
“No no, you just have to come back before your sisters,” answered the stone.
“Well, bye,” said Cinder Guppey.
And with that she swam to the party.

The ball was in full swim when Cinder Guppey arrived; meanwhile Tommy (the scuba diver’s son) was bored out of his mind. He had resorted to picking at the tablecloth to entertain himself.  That’s when he saw her, the lovely fish drinking punch (Cinder Guppey).

She looked beautiful with the neon lights reflecting off her scales so he asked her to play Monopoly (which I must say is hard for a fish).  They both had so much fun Cinder Guppey lost track of time. At 1:34 Cinder Guppey looked at the clock.
“OH NO!!” she screamed while swimming to the door.
“Wait!” yelled Tommy “I don’t even know your name.”
But Cinder Guppey was gone. She was back home hiding her gown and putting on her rags. That’s when she noticed that her mother’s necklace was gone. The next day Tommy traveled across the ocean to find that special fish. That’s when he got to Cinder Guppey’s house.
“Will each female fish in this house step, I mean, swim out please?” he called
First Swammy came out, then Swimmy, and Cinder Guppey trailed behind.  He told each of them to try on the necklace. First Swimmy tried. She put it on backwards. Then Swammy tried it on.   It made her fat neck look even fatter. The boy knew it wasn’t her. Then it was Cinder Guppey’s turn. The second she put the necklace on she was wearing a gown more lovely then the one she had worn only the night before. The gown was a deep red and had an orange stripe across the front.
“Will you be my pet?” asked Tommy.
“Of course,” answered Cinder Guppey.
And she was the most loyal pet a child could ask for.
The End.